Secret Keepers
by AshEdelstein
Summary: Secrets told in the wizarding world are always best kept between the owner and who he shares it with.
1. Chapter 1

Severus Snape was not a man who was easy to take by surprise. He always had a plan for any situation, and in the unlikely event that his plan failed he had a back up that was sure to bring him back into the game and the lead. He was always one step ahead of everything, until the night he awoke to his best friends scream of agony.

The potions master was quick on his feet, moving into the blondes room with his wand drawn. Their home was under a fidilius charm, but in a time of war it was never safe to assume that the secret wouldn't be spilt to one of their many enemies.

Glancing carefully into the room under a notice-me-not Severus had a few seconds to work out the situation before he was seen. His ebony eyes flicked around the room quickly, taking in everything, from the blonde lying on the bed in a pool of sweat, to the lack of any other person. Making up his mind that his friends pain was mental he dropped the spell and ran into the room.

"Lucius." Severus' voice held concern along with being commanding as he leant over the Malfoy patriarch and shaking him roughly, "Get a hold of yourself and tell me what's wrong."

"He's being tortured." Lucius gasped out, his eyes opening and he meet Severus' fear filled black eyes with his own glazed silver ones. "They were betrayed." His voice broke off into another scream that tore from his throat, a broken sound that left Severus wincing and covering his ears in a vain attempt to protect them.

Severus lowered his hands when Lucius stopped screaming, for a moment the pair sat in silence, both understanding what was happening and neither being able to do anything to stop it or help the other. Lucius' eyes were empty of emotion now, though tears still stained his cheeks.

Silence rained for only a moment longer before Severus collapsed forward with a cry of pain. His eyes glazed over in the same way Lucius' had before a single ear-splitting, broken, scream tore through his lungs and into the cold night air. The sound echoed through their minds as the two stared at each other once more before one word left each of their mouths.

"Harry."


	2. Chapter 2

A high cry filled the air as a small bundle was lifted from the crib against the wall. Dumbledore winced slightly as he lifted the boy, holding him at an arms length and looking him over.

"I don't know what you did, but you're far to powerful for a child." Dumbledore made sure the child in his arms was secure before he apparated.

"You can't leave the boy here Albus. These muggles are horrible people." The old man glared at his companion, he hadn't thought she would be there or that she even knew he was dropping the child off here. "Why don't we ask Severus to raise the boy, he was Lily's friend. He would protect him much better then these horrible people do."

"No Minerva, these people are Harry's family and he needs to be left with them to keep up the protection that his mothers sacrifice created." Dumbledore explained to the woman, conjuring a blanket and wrapping the small sleeping bundle into it. "He will be fine here, once he turns eleven we will send him his letter and he will begin school. But until then he needs this protection."

The dark haired woman had little to say to argue, she knew Albus wouldn't listen to her so instead she vowed that she would instead watch over the child any chance she got. She would wait for her chance to reunite the boy with his true family, hopefully that time came before the dark lord made his return. She gave one last look over her shoulder as the fat man came to the door and saw his nephew on the doorstep. Reaffirming her promise she apperated back to Hogwarts.

Lucius sat up when he heard a cry come from the room connected to his. He slipped from the bed with a since, clutching at his chest in pain, but his son needed him now more then ever. He knew that if he was in so much pain then Draco would be in more.

Lucius smiled softly as he lifted the small boy from the crib and rocked him gently. "There, there Dragon. It's going to be okay, I'm here now." He soothed, giving a grateful smile when Severus handed him a warm bottle. He settled down on the couch in the room, patting the spot beside him for his friend. They all needed the comfort of each other right now, they had all just lost very important people in theirs lives. Severus took the offered spot without complaint and watched as Lucius soothed Draco with the bottle, craving to have his own son in his arms once more.

"We'll get him back Severus I promise. I won't let you suffer the loss of your wife and your son." Lucius looked up from Draco's face and gave a reassuring smile, "We will then get revenge on the people who did this to us."

"I hope we get him soon. I hate to think where he might be." Severus brushed blonde hair from Draco's eyes, biting his lip to stop his tears from showing, "I have heard some of the plans they had for him."

"We will get him." Lucius vowed, wrapping Draco gently in his blankets once more before putting him back to bed, "Stay with me. We need to stay together more tonight then ever." He asked, closing the door softly. Severus didn't complain, he crawled into the soft bed next to his ling time friend and the two fell into a restless sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

Lucius glared at the paper as he dropped it back down onto the table. "They're still posting Harry all over the front page, but there isn't even a whisper of where he is now. It's almost been a year now, surly someone would know something, as useless as the prophet is."

"We know Dumbledore had something to do with it. Perhaps if I asked to move into the school earlier I will be able to hear some information." Severus looked up from his place where he was sitting feeding Draco. "I don't think anyone will mind if I say I wish to have more time to settle in."

"I don't want you away any longer then you have to be Severus." Lucius looked a little desperate as he glanced up, "Draco needs you just as much as I do. We need our clan together, I already regret splitting us up."

Severus shook his head and glanced down to Draco once more, "We need our clan, which means we need Harry. If I have to be away a week or two longer it will be better in the long run if we get Harry back to us sooner."

"You're right. The sooner he is back the better." Lucius agreed and smiled a little, "I'll just have to make sure we visit often enough. Draco will miss his godfather."

"Speaking of godfathers, have you heard anything about Sirius or Remus? I thought you would have found them by now, or they would have come back to us by now." Severus lifted his coffee to his lips and sighed softly at the smell that relaxed him, "They're most likely just as distressed as we are, and they had been separated the night of the attack."

Lucius winced softly at the mention of the other two members of their clan. "I should have told you earlier, but Sirius is a suspect in James and Lily's murders." He looked away when Severus looked outraged. "We know it isn't true, but because Sirius was supposed to be their Secret Keeper everyone in the ministry believes he has sided with the dark lord and betrayed them."

"That's ridicules. Are they all so stupid that they completely forget the seven years of friendship that James and Sirius shared. Why would they even think that Sirius would betray his friend like that." Severus' magic was almost visible to Lucius as his anger grew further. Draco began crying, clutching at Severus' robes in what looked like an attempt to comfort the man. The dark haired mans jaw clenched as he tried to reign in his anger, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. "Do you know where Remus is then?"

"I have only heard that he has gone into hiding. I don't even know how to begin tracking him down." Lucius admitted. He reached over and took Draco from Severus' arms so they could both calm down. "It will all be okay. We'll find them both, clear Sirius' name and retrieve Harry. We will have our clan back Severus I promise."

"I think I know where to begin looking for Remus. He always said if the world found out who he was he was joining a pack in another country. I doubt he would travel to just any country, he would go somewhere that has meaning to him." Severus stood up quickly and glanced at the two blondes, "I will be in my lab if you require me." He said quickly before he left them alone.

Lucius rolled his eyes, "Your godfather is in one of his moods again. I bet we wont see him before dinner." He told the small boy in his arms, rocking him as he summoned his toy dragon. "But he is trying to get our clan back together so I suppose it's okay."

Draco cooed and played with his dragon, he wasn't playing much attention to his father. Lucius laughed softly and left the dining room for his study.

Harry cried loudly as he was locked in the cupboard, dropped haphazardly on the bed and left there. The sound of the lock sliding closed echoed in the small space, not that the boy would have gotten out he was so young.

"You will learn boy what normal is if it kills you. I refuse to be embarrassed again because you suddenly turned green!" Vernon's loud voice boomed into the space before the grate shut and all sounds were locked out, the only sounds left was the childs wails.


	4. Chapter 4

"I found him." Severus declared one morning, startling Lucius a little bit with his enthusiasm. Lucius tilted his head to the side curiously and waited for his friend to continue. "I have found Remus, he is in Ireland with a pack of werewolves."

"We should go and get him immediately then." Lucius said, looking happier then he had in months, "I can't stand him being away from the clan any longer then he already has been." He looked about ready to apparate away then and there without any other planning. Severus shock his head slowly and looked away.

"I can't find the actual location of the pack, the only reason I know is because some contacts of mine have seen him with the pack. No one actually knows where they meet. It's not often that you see this pack." Severus admitted with guilt, "I move to Hogwarts tomorrow. I will continue looking for where the pack is, and as soon as I know you can go and get him."

Looking a little defeated the two fell into silence again, Draco making the only noise as he mumbled small words while he played with his toys. Lucius gazed at his son, wondering where everything had gone wrong and his clan had began to fall apart around him. He was supposed to have looked after his clan, he was the head and he had let them all down when he hadn't been there to protect them. Two had been murdered, his own mate and his best friend, by a mad man. One had run away to join another pack because his mate was in Azkaban, and the last two were under the iron thumb of a mad woman. The youngest of his clan was missing, somewhere painful if Severus' horrible dreams were anything to go by. He couldn't yet do anything for any of them, which pained him to no end.

"Dada?" Draco asked, glancing up from his toys. Lucius chuckled and lifted the small blonde out of his play pen and settled him in his lap, but Draco squirmed a little. "No, Dada." He demanded, holding his arms out for Severus. They looked surprised, Lucius hadn't even registered that his son had said dada instead of papa that the boy usually used. He handed his son over to his friend who was beginning to cry softly. Draco grabbed the potions masters long hair softly and buried his head in his shoulder.

"I love you Draco." Severus said gently and held the boy close. He wasn't lying, he loved the little blonde bundle in his arms but he couldn't deny that he wished the child was dark haired and his.

"It will be Harry's birthday soon. I should bring Draco to Hogwarts so that we can celebrate. We may not know where he is but we can still do something for him." Lucius suggested, making his friend let out a small pained sob at the thought of missing another birthday. "I'm sorry Sev." Lucius stood up and kissed his sons head softly before giving Severus a small sad smile before he left the two alone. He had some Ministry officials to harass, they needed their youngest member back.

To keep his mind off Harry, Severus went down to his lab to try and get some brewing done before he moved to Hogwarts the next day. He was concentrated on his work, up to a critical part when he felt someone entering the wards of his home in Spinners End. With a growl of irritation he banished the potion. "Dobby." He snapped, turning just as the elf appeared, "Take Draco to his room and look after him. If there is even a hair out of place you will regret being born."

Dobby nodded in understanding, looking nervous as he picked up the child and left. Severus brushed his robes clean before he apparated to his home, arriving in the basement. He looked around with a grimace, not taking to much in before he went upstairs to greet his very unwanted guest.

"There you are Severus. I was beginning to think you didn't know I was here." Albus greeted happily, much to Severus' annoyance. "There is something I wanted to discuss with you before you came to Hogwarts."

Severus took a seat and gestured for the headmaster to do the same, although the man already had. He took another second to straighten his robes before he looked up. "What would you like to discuss?"

"Voldemort cannot know that you are on my side. There are a few things that you are going to have to do." Albus waited for a reaction, when he didn't get one he continued. "I need you to be harsh on the students. Especially Harry Potter when he comes to the school."

Severus became more interested in the conversation when Harry's name was mentioned. He didn't like what he was being told to do though, and he found it difficult to keep the anger from his face and voice. "You want me to act harsh to children simply to keep up an image? When the dark lord returns could I not explain to him I was respecting the students to keep in your good books."

"That won't work Severus, besides we all know how well you get along with other people. I mean Lily was the closet thing you had to a friend in school and you called her a mudblood. And then you betrayed he completely by giving Voldemort information that got her killed." Dumbledore sat back with a twinkle in his eyes, "No, you will be harsh to the students to keep good with Voldemort."

Severus bit the inside of his lip to keep himself from wincing at the mention of his friends name. He tasted a hint of blood in his mouth and released his lip. "If you believe that is for the best headmaster then I will do it." He bit out, "Was there anything else you needed? Lucius has left my dear godson in my care and I have a potion to finish for him."

"You have Draco?" Albus looked surprised at the fact, sitting forward again. "I didn't think you and Lucius were still friends."

"I am merely convenient, Narcissa is out of the country at the current time and Lucius had work." The black haired man lied smoothly, "May I get back to him?"

"No, no. There is one more thing I wish to discuss." Albus grinned a little bit. "I need someone to guard something for me, or should I say someone."

"Enough with the games. Tell me what you require from me and be gone so I might return to my potions." Severus finally snapped, his eyes hard as he glared at Albus. The old man just chuckled softly and settled back comfortably again. He was silent for a moment more and Severus was fuming silently inside. The next words were not what he expected at all.

"I want you to guard the house Harry Potter is staying in." Albus waited for a reaction once more, hoping if his impromptu decision would rattle Severus a little bit or not. He did get a little bit of a startled reaction but it was then quickly hidden once more behind a hard mask. "You want me to protect the child of the woman I betrayed?"

"Exactly. Well I will leave the address with. I expect you there at seven sharp tonight. Now I should let you get back to Draco." The headmaster was gone a moment later, leaving Severus alone to his thoughts. The dark haired man grabbed the parchment that contained the address and apparated back to their home. He found Draco in his room and smiled softly as he lifted him from his playpen.

"You won't believe how lucky I was today." Severus told the blonde boy. "I know exactly where Harry is."

"You actually know where he is?" Lucius' voice came from the door. He was trying not to look to hopeful this time. Severus smiled and gave a nod, "I do. We have to come up with a plan to get him so Dumbledore doesn't know it was us. But I have the address."

Lucius walked quickly into the room and wrapped the two of them in a tight hug. Severus wrapped his free had around Lucius as he heard a small sob pass through Lucius' lips.

"Love papa, love dada." Draco cooed gently and grabbed both of them.

"Love you Draco." The two said together.


End file.
